Palaver Strings' 'The Apple of their Eyes' [family-friendly]

This program explores the African-American experience in classical music through the eyes of Black composers. It begins with William Grant Still’s lush and lyrical Mother and Child, and continues with Perry’s understated Prelude for Piano, arranged for strings. At the heart of the program is Edmund Thornton Jenkins' Romance and Reverie Phantasy for Violin and String Orchestra, restored, edited, and arranged by Tuffus Zimbabwe, featuring Palaver violinist Maïthéna Girault. The Apple of their Eyes encapsulates the African-American experience and celebrates the richness and depth of Black classical music.

Repertoire:

• Mother and Child for String Orchestra (1943) - William Grant Still (1895-1978) 8’
• Prelude for Piano (1946) - Julia Perry (1924-1979) arr. Roger Zahab (arranged 2020) 3’
• Romance for Violin and String Orchestra (n.d.) - Edmund Thornton Jenkins (1894-1926), arr. Tuffus Zimbabwe 6’
• Reverie Phantasy for Violin and String Orchestra (1919) - Edmund Thorton Jenkins (1894-1926), arr. Tuffus Zimbabwe 7’
• Sonata da Chiesa (1992) - Hailstork, Adolphus (b.1941) 20’
• Sonata No.2 for Violin and Piano (1923-1927) - Maurice Ravel (1875-1937), arr. Mladen Miloradovic II.Blues: Moderato 6’

Wednesday, March 11 at 5:30 PM (doors 5:00 PM), approximately 60-minutes

There is a $5 ticket surcharge on the day of the performance.

Photo by Titilayo Ayangade

The full-length evening concert will take place on Thursday, March 12, at 7:00 PM.

ABOUT PALAVER STRINGS

Palaver Strings is a Grammy-nominated, musician-led string ensemble and nonprofit organization based in Portland, ME. Our mission is to strengthen and inspire community through music. In our musician-led model, Palaver’s musicians share artistic and administrative leadership, guided by a passion for engaging new audiences, addressing social justice issues, and amplifying underrepresented voices. Equally committed to performance and education, Palaver presents a full season of live concerts and serves hundreds of students yearly at the Palaver Music Center in Portland.

PARKING & TRANSPORTATION

Mechanics’ Hall is located at 519 Congress Street. Our main entrance is between Loquat Shop and the Art Mart. The Greater Portland Metro’s Congress & Casco Street Stop is directly in front of our building, served by routes 1, 7, 8, and 9B.

Parking is available at the Arts District Garage, which has entrances on Casco and Brown Street, with a rate of $5 per hour. Metered street parking is available on Congress, Casco, Cumberland, Free Street, and other nearby streets. Free hourly street parking is available between Parris and Alder Street.

ACCESSIBILITY

To enter our building, patrons will need to navigate a single step or use a modular wheelchair ramp. There is a wheelchair-accessible elevator to the third-floor ballroom.

If you have a particular accessibility question or request please contact us at programming@mainemechanics.org.